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Grand Island GPS celebrating 10th year

By

Callie Cox '13

November 12, 2013

This year, Doane’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies in Grand Island celebrated its 10-year anniversary.

On Oct. 10, the campus had a birthday celebration organized by the alumni office with a dinner and guest speaker John Beranek, a gifted team builder, educator, storyteller and prevention advocate. Current students and alumni were invited, including those who graduated from the Grand Island campus and alumni from the Crete campus who currently live in Grand Island. About 120 people attended the celebration.

Doane College opened a full-service campus in Grand Island in 2003 and has continued to attract people striving to better their life through education since. Students who attend can participate in nine undergraduate programs and four graduate programs.

Campus Director Jennifer Worthington, who was hired in August 2008 said the campus offers a number of services for its students.

“We offer professional advising, financial aid, career counseling and all the service needed by non-traditional students,” Worthington said.

“Our classes are offered in the evening so that our students may work full time,” Worthington said. “Our office hours extend into the evenings. Everything that we do is based on the needs of adult learners.”

Doane decided to hire Worthington as a full-time director with the goal of increasing student enrollment, and the school has seen a steady rise in numbers.

Doane College Registrar Denise Ellis said Grand Island started with 13 students in the 2003 fall semester and grew to 132 students by the 2012 winter semester.

The campus is located in the College Park building on Highway 34 in Grand Island. This unique facility not only houses Doane programs, but also the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center, Joseph’s College of Beauty and many more educational institutions.

Built in 1992 for purposes of providing an array of opportunities for education in the area, Worthington said, “Doane College is very fortunate to be located in the College Park building.”

Over the last 10 years, Grand Island has added majors as desired by students. The most recent addition is the Bachelors of Nursing program. Other majors include paralegal studies, graphic design and Master of Arts programs for counseling and management.